Plague of 1665

The Great Plague of 1665 was a devastating outbreak of bubonic plague in London, caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, transmitted through fleas on rats. It spread rapidly, killing an estimated 100,000 people—about a quarter of the city's population. The disease caused fever, chills, and painful buboes. People feared contagion and often fled the city, while authorities implemented quarantine measures. The plague's impact was profound, affecting daily life, commerce, and the social fabric of London, and it ultimately receded before the Great Fire of 1666.